Independance
by Darak
Summary: Genma gets on the bad end of the Neko-Ken training, then Ranma gets a golden training opportunity the rest is in the story, ch 1 revised, ch 2 uploaded
1. And so it begins

"Here Ranma, we will now start your training in the Nekoken"

This is the beginning of a fic I wrote to pass a little time, it has no fix tittle as yet and I don't know how it will proceed, if you have any comments or ideas write me a review ^___^.

Standard disclaimer :

All the characters of the Ranmaverse belong to their creator, I have absolutely no rights upon them the characters outside of the Ranma cast belong to me but feel free to use them if you feel like it.

'blablabla' = thoughts

"blablabla" = speech

*blablabla* = telepathy

(blablabla) = denotes a comment on the situation

Now lets start with the fic :

****

Chapter 1 : And so it begins.

A bald man on the verge of overweight stands next to a pit, in his hand he holds what looks like fishes tied together by a rope.

From the pit we hear what sounds like cats, however this is not the sound we would associate with them in a natural situation, no, this is the sound we would imagine coming from a lot of hungry and angry cats, this is definitely not a nice noise.

The bald men, let's call him Genma, turns to speak to someone we do not yet see.

Genma : "Here Ranma, we will now start your training in the Nekoken"

We now focus on a young boy from Asian descent his blue-grey eyes shine under a mane of black hair pulled back in a loose ponytail. He appears to be around the ten years of age and is wearing black pants and a red shirt made of what looks like silk. He stands straight with a look of fierce determination on his face.

Ranma : "OK Pops"

**********

Voice 1 : MAKING CHANGE HERE

Voice 2 : A ROCK DISPLACED THREE INCHES TO THE LEFT ? WHY ?

**********

Genma walks towards Ranma with the fish on a rope in his hands, he looks eager to start with the training of his son.

Genma : "Okay so I will just tie you up with those fish and we shall begin" 

As he said these words Genma tripped on the aforementioned rock tangled his legs into the fishfilled rope and fell into the pit filled with starving cats, what follows is evident to all.

Genma : "OUCH, NO, NOT THE EYES, STOP IT …."

Ranma has a concerned look on his face, but mixed with it is also a good part of relief, it seems like he just realised what the training his father wanted him to undergo consisted of.

Ranma : "Pops are you OK ?"

**********

Voice 2 : OH ? I SEE ! BUT ISN'T THAT A BIT HARSH ?

Voice 1 : HMPH, IT SERVES HIM RIGHT, THAT IS ONLY PART OF WHAT HE DESERVES FOR ALL THOSE OTHER REALITIES !

Voice 2 : OK, NOW LETS SEE HOW THIS DEVELOPS FURTHER.

**********

After a moment a hand appears and grabs the lid of the pit. As Genma starts to hoist himself out of it, the cats decide to use this living ladder to get out of the disturbing place (well although having taken their revenge on the fat fish smelling guy was great).

Genma (whining while the cats got out of the pit): "OUCH, NOT THE CLAWS, PLEASE STOP IT" 

Eventually they all got out, and Genma with the distraction gone can at least get out of that humiliating situation, this was when Ranma spoke, 

Ranma : "Dad ? What does Mental Imbalance mean ?" 

Genma starts to stand up, hearing the words spoken by his son he looks in his direction with a confused expression written on his face.

Genma : "What ? Where did you ear that?"

Ranma (answering the question) : "It is written on the second page of your booklet on the Neko-Ken, 'training in the Neko-Ken is dangerous and can cause serious Mental Imbalance' "

Genma : "Let me read that" 

Having said that Genma grabbed the booklet out of the hands of Ranma.

Genma (while reading the second page of the folder (at last)) : 'Hmmmm maybe the training in the Neko-Ken is not such a great idea after all, and beside I don't think I could get that much C- C- Furry beasts without raising suspicions anymore' 

**********

Voice 1 : GENMA IS THINKING ? THIS IS NOT POSSIBLE !

Voice 2 : WELL I THINK THIS IS MORE HIS FEAR SPEAKING THAN HIS MIND, THE ONLY THING HE DOES THINK ABOUT IS THE FACT THAT HE DOES NOT WANT TO BE NEAR CATS ANYMORE.

Voice 1 : THAT IS MORE LIKE IT.

**********

Father and son are now sitting near a fire next to the pit where we formerly saw the true horror of the Neko-Ken training, Genma is eating what seems to be a broth made of meat and vegetables, Ranma for is part has to content himself with rice.

Genma : "Well" SCRUNCH "son" MUNCH MUNCH "it seems that the Neko-Ken" GULP "is not what I thought it would be" SCRUNCH , "I think" MUNCH "we will try that other technique instead" GULP

Ranma : "What other technique pops ?"

Genma (trying to impress Ranma) : "The dreaded" SCRUNCH MUNCH MUNCH GULP "'cave of the dragon' technique son," SCRUNCH "it is said that whoever masters that technique" MUNCH MUNCH "is destined to become the greatest martial artist of its generation GULP"

Ranma was starting to have doubts about his father's IQ after seeing the behaviour of the cats in the pit so he just said,

Ranma : "Yeah right" 

And so they finished dinner.

**********

Voice 1 : WELL, IT SEEMS LIKE RANMA IS STARTING TO THINK FOR HIMSELF.

Voice 2 : YOU HAVE TO ADMIT THAT HAVING SEEN THE RESULTS OF HIS FATHER'S STUPIDITY CAN BE A DRIVE TO THINK OF WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF HE LET HIM TAKE CONTROL OF HIS LIFE FURTHER. I THINK THAT FROM NOW ON HE WILL START TO SEEK TO DETACH HIMSELF MORE AND MORE FROM HIS FATHER'S INFLUENCE.

Voice 1 : I THINK YOU ARE RIGHT.

**********

Next Morning

We see Genma getting out of a tent he grabs something inside and throws it in a nearby stream, after a bit of time we see the thrown something emerge, it is Ranma.

Ranma (angrily) : "What did you do that for"

Genma : "A martial artist must be prepared to fight for himself at all time, besides since you missed on that special training yesterday, it is only normal you make up for it today"

Ranma : "Hmpf, we all know what would have happened with that training yesterday if you had your way, don't we pop ?"

Genma (sweating) : "Now boy, don't get excited just because of this little misadventure, I'm your father and I know what is best for you, so you will do as I say !" 'Beside' he thought 'If he does not want to follow I can always force him, it is not as if he could resist my might' "BWAHAHAHAHA"

Ranma : 'Man what a laugh it's creepy' "Why do you laugh pop, did you say something funny ?".

Genma : 'Did I just laugh aloud ??' "Nothing son, I was just thinking of a good joke" 'Good excuse Genma, It was hot though' "Now lets go son"

Ranma : "Right behind you" 'that way you can't hit me in the back'

And our two martial artists leave towards that new training ground Genma read about, one certain of his genius the other a little apprehensive after having travelled with the first one for so long.

Ranma : 'Kami, why me ??' 

**********

After two uneventful weeks of travel, well lets just say that since they were far from any habitation Genma could not resort to his usual stealing food, selling Ranma scheme , they arrived at the entrance of a cave. 

Genma : "This is it son, the 'cave of the dragon' " 

Ranma (suddenly suspicious) : "I thought that was the name of the technique" 

Genma : "Well it has to get it's name from somewhere, beside we're not here to argue about the name of the technique but to train in it." (starting to read his booklet) 'now lets see what that training is' 

**********

Voice 2 : WHAT ? HE DID NOT READ IT YET ? AFTER WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE NEKO-KEN ?

Voice 1 : THIS IS GENMA WE ARE TALKING ABOUT, THAT GUY WILL NEVER LEARN FROM HIS MISTAKES.

Voice 2 : WELL I START TO UNDERSTAND THE ANGER YOU HAVE TOWARD HIM, I MUST SAY IT IS DIFFICULT NOT TO BE ANGRY WITH SUCH STUPIDITY.

**********

Genma : "Now, this says, that in order for you to learn the 'cave of the dragon' technique, you have to go into the cave and bring back a blue rock from the end of it." 'This looks a tad too easy' "this with a hundred kilos of rocks tied to your back." 'that's more like it' 

Ranma (a bit flabbergasted) : "A Hun .. Hundred kilos ? Are you out of your mind ? I'm only ten for christ's sake, how am I supposed to lift that."

Genma : "Now, quit the whining son, I did not raise you to behave like a girl, take it as a man, beside it is you who want to become the best martial artist ever, you said so yourself".

Ranma : "Yeah, well at the time I had not yet realised that you were scatterbrained, otherwise I certainly would not be here today." 'now were does that come from I am not thinking that much usually, oh well you don't look a given horse in the mouth'

**********

Voice 2 : IS IT NOT A BIT TOO MATURE FOR RANMA ?

Voice 1 : MAY I REMIND YOU WHAT EXACTLY IS IN THE CAVE, AND WHAT INFLUENCE IT DOES HAVE ON THE TALENTED.

Voice 2 : OH ? I SEE, I WONDER HOW THIS WILL PROCEED.

**********

A few minutes later, we now see a rock laden Ranma lying on the ground with a gloating Genma standing over him.

Genma : "Now son, get in the cave and learn that technique"

Ranma (with some difficulty) : "Urghhh, … can't move, …rock too heavy, …" 

Genma : "Now son, are you a men ? Because men don't complain on such trivial thing !"

Ranma : 'Where did he get that line, I never saw him take such things lightly, not that this is light mind you.'

Unknown voice : *Let me help you child*

Ranma : 'Who, … who is talking'

Unknown voice : *I'm the spirit of the cave, I train those who are talented and you might make it worth my time, besides I'm kind of bored after that much time spent in a lousy cave waiting for stupid people to come and get a lousy blue rock and then go away thinking they've learned some stupid technique rant rant rant*

Ranma : 'STOP IT, that hurts'

Spirit of the cave : *Uh ?? My apologies, I'm just not used to talk to people, usually they don't hear me at all, sorry*

Ranma : 'It's alright, what do you want anyway'

Spirit of the cave : *Well actually, I want to give you the real training of the Dragon Cave TM this would be kind of the first time it would have been given on earth that is*

Ranma : 'What is it like'

Spirit of the cave : *Well it's kind of long to explain and I truly would not want to get your father on your back because he thought you took to long to start with the training, why don't you come in and talk to me personally, this is kind of impersonal you know*

Ranma : 'You're talking into my head and say it is impersonal ?? ……Although I kind of agree with you on the other part, I really would not want to see my father learning of a technique with exclusive rights. Just a question though what happens if I do not want to learn it after I know what it is?'

Spirit of the cave : *Well, then you get a nice shiny blue rock and I let you out of the cave, no time lost cause I have control on that in here, it's part of my attributions*

Ranma : 'OK I'm in for the talk'

Just as Genma was growing bored with is lousy son lying there instead of training like a men should, he saw him get up from under the pile of rocks and get in the cave with no apparent difficulty. 

Genma : 'Well that's it now I'm in for a wait' 

and that was the moment the sky choose to break down and start to pour. As he stood there getting drenched Genma thought he could hear a laugh in the background, but he shook it of immediately, after all he was here alone and his son was in the cave right ? 

**********

Voice 1 : SO HE GETS INTO THE CAVE TO LEARN ABOUT THAT TECHNIQUE.

Voice 2 : IT BECOMES INTERESTING, LETS SEE WHAT COMES NEXT.

**********

We skip by to two hours after Ranma entered the cave, we now see him standing before a blue Dragon, he appears to be in thoughts but as we all know he is in fact talking with the spirit of the cave, some fifty meters on his right is a pile of shiny blue rocks.

Ranma : 'OK, so now that I'm here you can tell me about that technique'

Spirit of the cave : *It is not really a technique, it is a school in it's own right*

Ranma : 'Alright, tell me of the school then'

Spirit of the cave : *The School of the Dragon Cave TM is made of three sets of techniques, the first set has for goal the enhancement of the spirit or the mind, the second set is to augment the physic or the body and the third set enhances the energy or ki. Each of the set complements the others in that it reinforces them, a master of the three sets would virtually have no limits to his evolution in martial arts, this is why it has never been taught before.*

Ranma : 'I thought you said it had never been taught on earth'

Spirit of the cave : *No, I said the training had never been given on earth before, I was given the knowledge of the school by kami-sama himself and that does not count as being taught because he does not work like that, so there are two people who know of that school in the universe*

**********

Voice 1 : WELL FIVE IF YOU COUNT RANMA AND US TWO.

Voice 2 : ACTUALLY I THINK HE MEANT "KNOW THAT SCHOOL" IT WOULD MAKE MORE SENSE.

Voice 1 : YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

**********

Ranma : 'So it ain't really martial arts'

Spirit of the cave : *Sighhhhh ….., no it ain't, it is a school that was made to increase the learning capacity in the arts, and I mean arts in the large sense*

Ranma : 'So can you explain that thingy about reinforcement again'

Spirit of the cave : *Well it's like this, 

one : your body channels the spiritual energy created by your mind and your ki, so developing it let's you access more energy,

two : your ki can reinforce your spiritual energy and your body giving them more capacity,

three : your spiritual energy can help your body and reinforce your ki*

Ranma : 'Hmmmm… what's the difference between ki and spiritual energy then'

Spirit of the cave : *Your ki is your life force, it lets you manipulate chi and will increase your healing processes as well as augment your capacities, your spiritual energy is manipulated by your mind it will let you work with the elements outside of yourself through magic for example*

Ranma : 'So ki is more for internal manipulation with eventual external effects and spiritual energy is for external manipulation with eventual internal effects right'

Spirit of the cave : *That's it, and since they are quite near from each other they can interact*

Ranma : 'I can see how ki can be useful to a martial artist as well as increasing the capacity of the body, but I really don't see the point of spiritual energy'

Spirit of the cave : *Well, the mind is what will let you analyse the tactics of your opponent, it will also let you discover new techniques. If you see it from a martial artist's point of vue magic is just an added benefit because it let's you take control of your environment, think about it*

Ranma : 'You're right, but why did you say that it was a school to increase capacity in the arts in the large sense of the word ?'

Spirit of the cave : *Because it is, just think, you've got the mind, you've got the body, you've got the energy, what art could exist that you could not learn*

Ranma : 'Ok so this is the school of perfection, now what is the catch'

Spirit of the cave : *There is no catch*

Ranma : 'There has to be, nothing is perfect'

Spirit of the cave : *Let me put this another way, what would you do if you were really powerful, would you rob peoples ?*

Ranma : 'No'

Spirit of the cave : *Would you attack innocents*

Ranma : 'NO'

Spirit of the cave : *Would your father do it*

Ranma : 'Sighhhh … I'm afraid Yes'

Spirit of the cave : *Now you know why I proposed you to learn of the school and not your dad, there is no catch, you only have to continue what you already do, nothing more nothing less*

Ranma : 'And if I did change, you know what they say power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely'

Spirit of the cave : *Trust me on that, your file is clean, otherwise you would not be here, so what do you think ? Will you be taught or not ?*

Ranma : 'I will !!'

Spirit of the cave : *Alright !! We will start, but first let me explain something, where we will go time is different, each year there is a second here but my power is such that you will still age here instead of there, so that when you will come back you will have years of experience but will still have your actual body just stronger and fitter*

Ranma : 'I know someone who will be surprised by that, a last question before we go on with this : does beating my dad count as beating an innocent ??' 

Spirit of the cave : *Not at all, be my guest*

Ranma : 'ALRIGHT, let's start with that training already !!'

Spirit of the cave : *As you wish*

So he said and in a flash of light they disappeared.

**********

Voice 2 : WELL DO YOU THINK GENMA WILL BE HAPPY WITH HIS SON'S TRAINING ?

Voice 1 : NOT TO MUCH *chuckle*

Voice 2 : *laugh* I BET HE WILL BE SURPRISED 

Voice 1 : *laugh* HE SURE WILL.

**********

Two years later virtual time, we can see Ranma running real fast with a lot of rocks on his back.

Ranma : 'How many laps are left ?'

Spirit of the cave : *Another 1000 and you will be all set*

Ranma : 'So Naryu, what do we eat tonight ?'

Naryu : *Well we will have creamed salmon for starter then we will follow with roasted antelope and we will finish with an ice cream parfait for dessert*

Ranma : 'Seems fine'

**********

Another five years pass now Ranma is sitting on the ground with a huge aura around him suddenly he yells and the aura condense in a ball the size of a pebble he launches it at a mountain in the background and the mountain is vaporised without leaving a trace.

Naryu : *You know it is a chance that I can model this place at will, otherwise you would really ruin the surroundings*

Ranma : 'Yeah, I know, that's why I'm not too afraid of testing my limits, by the way tonight I cook chinese'

Naryu : *Alright, I love it when you are cooking*

Ranma : 'I know, my cooking is better than yours everyday !'

Naryu : *Hey, that's not what I meant*

Ranma (laughing): 'gottcha'

Naryu : 'Siggghh … and it works every time, how does he find my buttons so easily'

**********

Yet another six years this time Ranma is reading from a spellbook after a while he raises his hand and speaks a few words it starts to rain gold dust around him, the gold dust swirls in the air and condense to form a beautiful little dragon.

Little Dragon : *Hello master, my name is Goldwing, nice to meet you*

Ranma : *Pleased to meet you too Goldwing, let me introduce you to my sensei Naryu*

Naryu : *Hello little one*

Goldwing : *It is a pleasure to meet you sensei of my master*

Naryu : *Just Naryu is enough you know, and beside it is not as if I had anything left to teach to your master*

Ranma : *What do you mean nothing left to teach*

Naryu : *Well yes, I thought you would be busy for hundreds of years learning this school, but in fact you took to it like a fish to water, so I have nothing else to teach and you will soon return to your world*

Ranma : *Oh well, this is OK I guess, but I will surely miss you*

Naryu : *Oh but we will see each other from time to time, don't fear, so little one do you feel ready to see the outside world*

Goldwing : *I would go anywhere with my master*

Naryu : *Well in that case goodbye Ranma, goodbye little one, I hope the future will bring you all that you can wish for*

Ranma & Goldwing : *Goodbye Naryu see you soon*

Naryu then speaks a few words and Ranma and Goldwing disappear in a flash of light strangely reminiscent of the one that took place thirteen years before in the dragon cave.

**********

Voice 1 : AT LAST THE STORY WILL CONTINUE.

Voice 2 : YES I WONDER WHAT WILL HAPPEN NOW THAT RANMA IS MORE MATURE.

Voice 1 : WHATEVER, BUT I SURE HOPE IT WILL BE ENTERTAINING.

Voice 2 : YOU SAID IT.

**********

****

End Chapter 1

Chapter 2 : On with the story will be coming as soon as I can get it done.


	2. On with the story

Standard disclaimer :

Standard disclaimer :

All the characters of the Ranmaverse belong to their creator, I have absolutely no rights upon them the characters outside of the Ranma cast belong to me but feel free to use them if you feel like it.

'blablabla' = thoughts

"blablabla" = speech

*blablabla* = telepathy

(blablabla) = denotes a comment on the situation

Now lets start with the fic :

****

Chapter 2 : On with the story 

**********

Voice 1 : AT LAST HE STARTS AGAIN

Voice 2 : YES ! ! ! POPCORN ? 

Voice 1 : THANKS.

**********

Ranma is now in the cave he started in, on is right is a large sack filled with rocks that looks exactly like the one he wore when entering the cave (blink, well actually it is the same sack) on is left is a pile of blue rocks and on is neck is a little golden dragon.

Ranma : *OK, so now what*

Goldwing : *Well master maybe we should start by setting the details as they were before you left*

Ranma : *I guess you are right, and maybe it wouldn't be to bad of an idea either to not show all we know to oyaji no baka*

Goldwing : *Strange, I was not even going to suggest that*

Ranma : *Stop being sarcastic, I did not raise you like that*

Goldwing : *Well technically you did not raise me at all*

Ranma : *Why oh why did I want to invoke a Dragon I could have had a cat familiar like every other magic users but noooo I had to be a smartass and go with the little all knowing golden critter*

Goldwing : *Ha Ha Ha, very funny now can we get on with the matter at hands master or would you rather keep ranting a bit more*

Ranma : *I'd rather keep ranting a bit more thank you*

Goldwing (facevaulting) : *THAT WAS NOT MEANT AS A QUESTION ! !*

Ranma (laughing) : *Sorry mpfff I could not hahaha help myself hahahahahaha*

Goldwing : *Ok, now can we proceed*

So Ranma picks the one hundred kilo pack, grabs a blue rock then as if in afterthought smears himself a bit and starts to the entrance of the cave.

Ranma : *Pack, check, blue rock, check, looking tired, check, dragon hidden, check ¼ euh ¼ would you please turn invisible or would that be too much to ask*

Goldwing : *Jeeze are we grumpy or what, i'll turn invisible alright*

Ranma : *You would be grumpy too if you had to meet my father back after a long vacation away from his stupidity*

Goldwing (blushing) : *I guess I would at that*

And so speaking with his invisible dragon Ranma arrives at the entrance.

**********

Voice 1 : IT KINDS OF START SLOWLY.

Voice 2 : WELL I GUESS THE AUTHOR IS DOING SOME FILLING IN BECAUSE HE'S SHORT ON IDEAS

Author : NO I'M NOT, OUPS ¼ SORRY ¼ HEHEHE PRETEND YOU DID NOT READ ME 

**********

Now we can see the outside of the cave apparently it suddenly stopped raining, a drenched Genma is standing underneath a tree trying to grab a tent that seemed to have been blown into it, suddenly he stops and stares around him.

Genma : 'I wonder why it stopped raining ? ?'

We then ear a sound coming from the cave and there comes Ranma dragging himself out of it on hands and knees.

Genma : 'That's my boy, I knew he could do it' "ATCHHHOOOO Snirf" 'well it looks like I got a bit of a cold'

He then walks to Ranma

Genma : "Now boy show me what you've learned Snirfff"

And he launches himself at Ranma with a drop kick, only to meet the sack of rock that Ranma dropped while rolling on himself apparently exhausted.

Genma : "AOUCCHHH" 'well I guess it wouldn't hurt to wait a bit before testing the boy's new abilities" 

So thinking Genma sits down holding his foot and waits for his boy to wake up (actually he hurt his foot and can't stand anymore)

**********

Voice 1 : WELL RANMA HAS BECOME QUITE AN ACTOR

Voice 2 : IF YOU WERE HIM WOULD YOU SHOW THE BAKA ALL YOU COULD DO ?

Voice 1 : AND GET MYSELF SOLD TO UNDERWORLD FIGHTING LEAGUES DO I LOOK LIKE A FOOL ?

Voice 2 : SEE ?

Voice 1 : I GUESS !

**********

After a night's sleep Genma decided to finally see what his boy could do.

Genma : "This time for real boy, show me what you're made of"

Ranma : 'Better act like he would expect me to' "Coming pop, you're gonna get it this time"

Then comes quite a bit of sparing :

Genma jumped foot extended apparently intended to take his kid down, however it seemed that Ranma did not agree with it because he grabbed the foot and propelled his father face first into a tree. Genma then got himself up before jumping back into the fray this time with Ranma beginning to throw rocks at him.

Genma : "AOUCH, AUOW, STOP IT, IT AIN'T MARTIAL ARTS"

Ranma (still throwing rocks) : "Sure is dad, anything goes martial arts rock throwing, that's what I learned in there"

Genma (whining) : "ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT I YIELD, STOP THROWING"

**********

Voice 1 : WELL HE FOUND A GOOD USE FOR THESE ROCKS I MUST SAY.

Voice 2 : THAT IS SOMETHING I CAN BUT AGREE WITH.

**********

Genma (currently bandaging himself) : "Well boy it seems that training was effective" 'maybe a bit to much' "now let us go to the next training ground" 

Ranma : "I'm with you dad"

And so they go, from training ground to training ground, with Ranma acting as his father would expect while learning all that he can.

**********

Six years later.

While travelling from training ground to training ground Ranma learned quite a bit more about human life and martial arts. With his new capabilities diminishing his adaptation time drastically he progressed at an amazing rate working on what he considered the arts in a global point of view, that is to say schooling, arts and magic in addition to the martial arts that were his first point of focus.

If you were looking at the boy during all that time you would have said he had changed quite radically from the boy he was seven years before, in fact you could say he was as near of perfection as man can be except for that tiny little weakness he had, speaking of it, it was that weakness that put his current situation.

Girl : "Pleaaase Ranchan, just one little movie"

Ranma : "But I don't have time for … no don't look at me with these eyes … sighhhh alright I'll go with you just stop with the eyes will you."

Girl : "Yatta, thanks Ranchan, I knew you wouldn't let me drop on this" 'and thank you puppy eyes anything goes dating technique'

Goldwing (grinning) : *Sucker*

Ranma : *I know but I just can't resist those eyes*

Goldwing : *How many does it make*

Ranma : *I don't know, 30 - 40 ??*

Goldwing : *And they all consider themselves your fiancée ? Bwahahhaha ….*

Ranma (sulking) : *Cut it out !!*

Girl : "Comon Ranchan, we're gonna be late"

Ranma : "Coming !"

**********

Voice 1 : AND I THOUGHT HE WOULD ESCAPE ALL THESE ENGAGMENTS ON HIS FATHER PART.

Voice 2 : WELL, HE HAS, HIS FATHER ONLY MADE TWO ENGAGMENTS FOR HIM, THE TENDO ONE AND THE KUONJI ONE, ALL THE OTHERS WERE STOPPED BY RANMA ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.

Voice 1 : YEAH, BUT ALMOST EVERY GIRL HE ENCOUNTERS CONSIDERS HERSELF HIS FIANCEE BY THE TIME HE LEAVES.

Voice 2 : WHAT DO YOU WANT ? HE'S JUST TO NICE A CATCH.

Voice 1 : WHY DO I GET THE FEELING HE WILL BE ALL TO HAPPY TO FOLLOW HIS FATHER TO JUSYENKO JUST TO ESCAPE THIS MESS.

Voice 2 : MAYBE BECAUSE IT'S THE DESTINY OF GENMA NO BAKA TO GET CURSED WHATEVER THE TIMELINE.

Voice 1 : MAYBE.

**********

Ranma was coming home from that date, as he approached the apartment he resided in with his father during his sojourn in this town he did not notice Genma observing him.

Genma : 'Hum, the boy decidedly is around girl too much, it's gonna turn him soft and beside it's already hard enough to manipulate him now without adding girls in the equation, maybe it is time to finish that training trip.'

**********

Voice 1 : HE DOES FORGET ALL THE TIMES HE WANTED TO ENGAGE OR RATHER SELL HIS SON FOR FOOD OR MONEY.

Voice 2 : NO HE JUST DOES NOT CONSIDER THESE TIMES AS BEING AROUND GIRLS SINCE HE DID NOT PLAN TO FOLLOW THROUGH ON THE ENGAGMENTS HE MADE.

Voice 1 : SO IN FACT HIS ONLY OPPOSITION TO HIS SON BEING WITH GIRLS IS THAT HE WOULD CONCEDE CONTROL TO THEM.

Voice 2 : I THINK THAT SUMARISES IT.

**********

Genma approached Ranma obviously wanting to speak to him, seeing this Ranma's first thought was that Genma again had one of his stupid ideas, the 150th this week.

Genma : "Son, I want to have a word with you"

Ranma : "Whatever the question the answer is NO!"

Genma : "Hmphh, I only thought maybe you would want some respite from all these fiancées of yours"

Ranma : "Like you would have a solution"

Genma : "As a matter of fact I do, a short training trip in China followed by a return at home with your mom"

Ranma : "Mom ? I thought she was dead, she's alive?"

Genma : "Yes she's alive and she's the one who gave the agreement for that training trip we made since you were six" 'That should make him follow me'

Ranma : "Yeah, right and I bet she also gave you the brochure with all those funny training techniques in it"

Genma (sweating) : "Not exactly, but she did want you to become a man among men"

Ranma : "And that training trip wouldn't happen to be at Jusyenko?"

Genma : "How do you know, …. Euh I mean not at all, it's more like around the Bakayalanka range"

Ranma : *What do you think Goldwing do we accept, it could be fun*

Goldwing : *Yeah, and besides it's not as if you would be idiot enough to get yourself cursed*

Ranma : *Yes, but the baka probably would*

Goldwing : *I wonder how the spirits of the spring would decide to curse him*

Ranma : *I don't know but I'm definitely going to* "Okay pop, since you will not let me see mom before that trip I'll follow you to China"

Genma : "I knew you wouldn't deceive me son."

Ranma : "Yeah, yeah" *I'm betting on spring of drowned idiot*

Goldwing : *Nah that wouldn't make any change, I'm betting on spring of drowned ass or maybe drowned lobotomised chicken*

Ranma : *???*

Goldwing : *Just kidding ^___^*

Ranma : *You almost had me there.*

**********

Voice 1 : AND SO THEY GO TO JUSYENKO.

Voice 2 : YES IT APPEARS TO BE DESTINY.

Voice 1 : DO YOU THINK WE'LL SEE RYOGA.

Voice 2 : I DON'T KNOW, IT WOULD BE SURPRISING THOUGH, THEY HAVEN'T MET YET.

Voice 1 : YEAH.

**********

Zoom in on a landscape of mountains, what a beautiful sight, nature at his best, wild. 

The camera pans to the right, now we can see a valley covered in springs, hundreds of them. 

Two men stand near the entrance of the valley, on their left stands a panel, zooming closer we can read "Cursed Spring of Jusyenko, do not fall in, very bad"

Ranma : "So here lies Jusyenko"

Genma : "Common boy let's train"

Ranma : "Right behind you"

Now they jump on the poles standing out of the spring and begin to fight.

The sound of the fight goes to a little hut by the side of the entrance of the valley, out of it comes a man with a Chinese army uniform, seeing the two persons fighting atop the poles he approaches screaming.

Man : "No misters, no fighting atop the poles, very bad if you fall in springs"

But all these screaming has virtually no effect on the two ditching it out in mid-air, so the fight continues until at one time Genma overextends itself and gets himself kicked by Ranma into one of the springs, Ranma then continues to go and stand on one of the poles.

Man : "AAAAAAHHHH, you fall in pool of drowned idiot … Uh why you no change"

Ranma : *Yatta I knew it, pay up*

Goldwing : *It does not count you sent him there on purpose*

Meanwhile Genma gets out of the spring of drowned idiot, patting himself.

Genma : 'Pfeeww, I almost believed him there with that spring of drowned idiot'

Then Genma glides on the wet ground and falls into the spring next to the one he just got out of, a panda surfaces spluttering.

Genma-Panda : "Grooowr, Growf, Grawl" (translation Cough, Splurt, Spit)

Man : "AAAAAAHHHH you fall in pool of drowned Panda, terrible story of Panda who drowned into spring one thousand years ago"

Ranma (rolling atop the pole) : "BWAHAHAHAHA …. Drowned Panda, it's so him"

Goldwing : *I concur, HAHAHAHA … Drowned Panda, it's even better than drowned Ass*

Hearing the laugh the man turns to look at Ranma, his reaction on seeing him roll atop a pole is not at all surprising he facevaults, getting up he asks.

Man : "Uh young master how you stand on pole while rolling around ??"

At these words Ranma sobers up,

Ranma : "I was trained for perfect balance, but you are right, I shouldn't tempt fate by staying above these pools"

And so saying he jumps to the ground in front of the Man.

Ranma : "I am Ranma Saotome, the Panda is my father pleased to meet you"

Man : "I am the guide of Jusyenko, from your reaction I gather you knew of the properties of the springs"

Ranma : "Yes, but Panda-baka over there never even bothered to read the manual in the first place"

Hearing that his son knew of the springs before coming Genma-Panda starts to scream while attacking him.

Genma-Panda : "GROOOOOWWWWLLLLLL" (translation Ranma this is all your fault)

But he didn't take into account the fact that his son hid his abilities from him for over six years, therefore it is not surprising that Ranma escapes him while retaliating with deadly accuracy.

Genma-Panda : "GRAAAWL, GREOOOWL, GRRUUUWL, GROWCHHH, …." (translation AIIHH, OUUUCH, AUUUUW, AWWWWCHH, …)

Ranma : "That'll teach you to interrupt my conversation"

Ranma then turns to the Guide

Ranma : "I presume this is not one of the locked springs, it reverses with hot water right"

Guide : "Young master is right, spring reverses effect with hot water"

Ranma : "Good, could you lead us to a place where we can eventually reside for a time, just so that he get's a bit more acquainted with his curse"

Guide : "No problem, young master, village of Jokusetsu nearby, they have plenty of experience with cursed springs and will be able to help your father adapt"

Ranma : "Good, I'll let you show us the way then"

And lo, Ranma goes to meet the formidable matriarchy of the amazons.

**********

Voice 1 : IT SEEMS LIKE RANMA WAS DESTINED TO MEET THE AMAZONS

Voice 2 : ALMOST LIKE HIS FATHER WAS DESTINED TO BE CURSED

Voice 1 : YES, I ALMOST ASK MYSELF IF SOMEONE IS NOT MEDDLING WITH OUR GAME

Voice 2 : IT MAY BE SO, BUT I DON'T FEEL INTERFERENCE

Voice 1 : YOU ARE RIGHT OF COURSE, I GUESS I HAVE TO VIVID AN IMAGINATION

Voice 2 : MAYBE, LET'S SEE WHAT COMES NEXT SHALL WE.

Voice 1 : YES, IT APPEARS LIKE IT WILL START TO GET INTERESTING AGAIN.

**********

We switch to a small road on the side of a mountain, Ranma, the Guide and Genma still in Panda form are walking slowly seemingly impressed with the majesty of the view, although you can see from Genma that it is Ranma that appreciates the view and fixes the pace of the promenade.

Genma-Panda : "Graowl Gworf Greewr, Growch" (translation Son are you sure we can't go a little faster, I'm hungry)

Ranma : "You're always hungry old man"

Guide : "The young master can understand what his father says ?"

Ranma : "Nope"

Guide : "Then how comes"

Ranma : "I know my father, there are two things that permanently traverse his brains, one is money, the other is food, since he can't think about money in such an environment he must be thinking about food"

Genma-Panda : "Groooafr Greeewl, Graooofr Graaa" (translation That's not true son, I have more than two thoughts in my brain)

Ranma : "Yeah right"

Guide : "……"

Thus talking they arrive before a wall of wood rising a good ten meters above the ground, the entrance in the middle of the wall is surprisingly unguarded and the doors are open, on the left of the door stands a panel with written in chinese : 

"Festival of Jokusetsu

Tournament organised

First prize is a banquet"

Guide : "Customers are in great luck, today day of Festival in Jokusetsu"

Ranma : *Goldwing, don't we have some data on the Jokusetsoku*

Goldwing : *From what I remember reading it is a tribe of amazons with very peculiar laws*

Ranma : *Peculiar, in what sense*

Goldwing : *For example when an external female beats an amazon in direct combat, the amazon must give the kiss of death and kill the external female*

Ranma : *No rule for the case of a male beating an amazon?*

Goldwing : *None that I remember of but it would not surprise me if there was*

Ranma : *Then we'd better be careful with what we do around here*

Guide : "Oh no customer, you not eat first prize"

Hearing this Ranma raises his head and looks around, it seems like he was distracted by his telepathic conversation with Goldwing.

Ranma : "What?"

Ranma then sees his father still in Panda form eating at a table with lots of food piled upon it, on the table stands also a panel with "first prize" written on it. Ranma immediately acts to prevent further damage to the already well diminished buffet. 

Ranma (grabbing his dad by the scruff of the neck) : "Stop eating Pop, this is not for you"

Genma-Panda (trying to continue eating nevertheless) : "Groowwf Graaawl" (translation but I'm sooo hungry)

Girl : "Why is your pet eating my prize?"

At these words Ranma turns around letting go of the Panda who starts eating again, seeing this out of the corner of his eyes he kicks him some ten meters from the table. He then looks at the girl that addressed him. It is a young buxom girl with long flowing purple hair, in her hands she holds a pair of what could be qualified as hammer, they are two sticks around fifty centimetres long with a round ball on the end, the ensemble being made of metal.

Ranma : "My name is Ranma, he's not my pet but my dad cursed by Jusyenko, I'm sorry if he ate your prize but I can't be held responsible for his foolish actions"

Girl : "I am Xian Pu and you won't get away with such easy excuses"

Behind the girl appears a gnarled woman hopping on a stick. Ranma would have ignored her if it wasn't for the fact that he felt more ki in that woman alone than in the rest of the crowd that came to assist to the fight that seemed to be a foregone conclusion. Sensing this Ranma extended his sense a little.

Ranma :*Do you feel it, they are several high ki signatures in the region*

Goldwing : *Yes, I must admit I didn't pay attention before, but they are not all coming from this village*

Ranma : *No, but that means we'd better be cautious, I think we could take them, but it would be close*

Goldwing : *Don't underestimate them, they may hide their ki like you do*

Ranma : *You are right, I almost got to cocky again*

Goldwing : *And pay attention they are talking to you*

Ranma : *Huh*

Old-Woman : "Are you back with us now, or is it that we impress you so much that made you lose our voice"

Ranma : "I'm sorry, I was a little bit surprised by the importance of your ki"

The old woman seemed surprised.

Old-Woman : 'So he can sense ki, I may have been right in my first assessment then, he is someone with potential'

Ranma : 'Damn, I disclosed to much information already, if Naryu was there he would shop my head off for being so careless'

Old-woman : "Well we're not going to mount this little pebble in a mountain, my name is Ku-Lon matriarch of the Jokusetsoku, you've already met my granddaughter Xian-Pu"

Xian-Pu (protesting) : "But grandmother"

Ku-Lon (with authority) : "Xian-Pu !"

Xian-Pu (resigned) : "Yes elder"

Ranma : "I'm terribly sorry for the interference of my dad, when he is hungry, and that is most of the time, he does not think"

Ku-Lon : "A Jusenkyo curse ne?"

Ranma : "Yes, the guide said you could help"

Seeing that no fight would come the villagers disperse grumbling a bit over elders and their habits of interference.

Ku-Lon : "I may be able to help effectively but we would better be discussing this in a more private place … and restrain your father or I will be forced to treat him like an animal and put him in a cage"

Ranma : "Please do, that would be a relief"

Ku-Lon, Xian-Pu and Genma-Panda facevaults, Ranma rolls on the floor laughing.

Ku-Lon (raising herself of the ground) : "Well that was a good one, I almost thought you were serious for a second"

Ranma (stops laughing) : "I was!"

Ku-Lon : "Well shall we go to discuss this little affair between us"

Ranma : "Gladly"

And Ku-Lon starts walking to a hut made of wood followed by Ranma, Xian-Pu and Genma-Panda who decided to behave rather than be put in a cage. He for once never doubted that his son was serious, this at least he learned from the six years passed with him after that special training. His son had learned more in that cave than what he showed to the external world.

****

End chapter two 


End file.
